University of Chicago Research on Vitamin D
University of Chicago Research suggests High Vitamin D Levels May Protect Against COVID-19, Especially for Black People.
A new research study at the University of Chicago Medicine has found that when it comes to COVID-19, having vitamin D levels above those traditionally considered sufficient may lower the risk of infection, especially for Black people.
The research team is now recruiting participants for two separate clinical trials testing the efficacy of vitamin D supplements for preventing COVID-19.
This research is an expansion of an earlier study showing that a vitamin D deficiency (less than 20 ng/ml) may raise the risk of testing positive for COVID-19. In the current study, those results were further supported, finding that individuals with a vitamin D deficiency had a 7.2% chance of testing positive for the virus. A separate study recently found that more than 80% of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were vitamin D deficient.
“These new results tell us that having vitamin D levels above those normally considered sufficient is associated with decreased risk of testing positive for COVID-19, at least in Black individuals,” said David Meltzer, MD, PhD, Chief of Hospital Medicine at UChicago Medicine and lead author of the study. “This supports arguments for designing clinical trials that can test whether or not vitamin D may be a viable intervention to lower the risk of the disease, especially in persons of color.”
While vitamin D supplements are relatively safe to take, excessive consumption of vitamin D supplements is associated with hypercalcemia, a condition in which calcium builds up in the blood stream and causes nausea, vomiting, weakness, and frequent urination. If left unchecked, it can further lead to bone pain and kidney stones.
“Currently, the adult recommended dietary allowance for vitamin D is 600 to 800 international units (IUs) per day,” said Meltzer. “The National Academy of Medicine has said that taking up to 4,000 IUs per day is safe for the vast majority of people, and risk of hypercalcemia increases at levels over 10,000 IUs per day.”
Prompted by the evidence that people with vitamin D deficiency are more likely to test positive for COVID-19 and experience significant symptoms, a team from the University of Chicago and Rush University is conducting two studies to learn whether taking a daily vitamin D supplement can help prevent COVID-19 or decrease the severity of its symptoms.
Cheapest Covid-19 Therapy in the World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Hnl7iRvpo
(That Big Pharma Doesn’t Want)
Q: Why Not?
A: It’s too damn cheap. There is no money in it or patents.
Money Theory Take II
This coincides with my own personal anecdotes regarding prostate cancer.
Cancer Free: I Beat Prostate Cancer; Mish the Guinea Pig
Please consider my October 2012 post Cancer Free: I Beat Prostate Cancer; Mish the Guinea Pig
I had a doctor who was pressuring me to have my prostate removed after a biopsy showed that I had cancer. I instead decided decided to follow promising studies by the University of Wisconsin on a cocktail of drugs.
I listed what I took in 2012 and am mostly still taking. The key ingredient was Resveratrol, but only in conjunction with several other over-the-counter supplements. I made changes to the complete cocktail I am now taking for reasons noted in an addendum.
Science-Based Medicine
Science-Based Medicine blasted me in Another Misguided Cancer Testimonial
Well, I don’t care. I averted a needless $20,000 operation.
They claim I am not an expert and unqualified. Yep, I totally agree and I even said so at the time.
Nothing above constitutes a recommendation. I listed what I took, and what my results were. Consult your doctor before attempting anything similar.
On my first visit to the oncologist, he stated “Until there is data in human beings with prostate cancer, there is no reason to believe that resveratrol has any activity whatsoever in treating or even preventing prostate cancer. Feel free to take it if you wish as it appears to be safe.”
So why aren’t there more studies on these supplements given the articles I cited? The answer is big pharmaceutical companies are not interested in anything they cannot patent.
They would rather find a $20,000 drug that works 5% of the time (that they can patent) rather than something cheap that works 80% of the time that they can’t.
In fact, the big pharmaceutical companies have attempted numerous times to regulate nutritional supplements. If it was up to them, I never would have been able to try what I did.
The Science-Based blast was on January 27, 2015,
Since then, I have had four others email me with similar results.
Those 4 results don’t prove anything either, but at least four more men have their prostates than would otherwise.
Again, I recommend consulting a doctor because I have to.
The Kicker
Science-Based Medicine flat out stated “There was no need to do PSA screening tests in the first place.”
Ah-Ha! Q&A
Q: So why do we do them?
A: There’s money in the tests and tons of it if it results in a needless $20,000 operation.
Mish
“Further, a randomized controlled study of people with moderate to severe COVID-19 who received a high dose of vitamin D showed no benefit. “ as per the Harvard Health Blog.
I think the author of this article is missing the point. I don’t believe vitamin D is being touted as a viable treatment for COVID-19 patients. The suggestion is that those with low vitamin D take a supplement as a preventative measure.
As far as I am concerned the US health care business is incestuous with all interested parties actively looking after their own best interests as opposed to looking for the best cost effective treatments for patients. Just don’t get me started on the billion dollar cholesterol drug con.
Vitamin D is critically important, but the suppression of cheap solutions to COVID -19 doesn’t stop there. Thousands could have been saved with Ivermectin, a very effective drug for COVID that reduces deaths by ~80%. Ivermectin has one drawback: Unlike Remdesivir it doesn’t cost $4K per dose & there’s no desire to promote a cheap and effective treatment.
vitamin D effects discussed by Irish researchers over a yr ago. The media in the US is simply terrible. The waltz between Pharma/Media/US scientists/doctors/and a major US political party is a harbinger of the Fascist Corporatism Mussolini promoted. Its well on its way here.
Vitamin D is only one example…their are numerous examples of the US medical establishment failing to recommend evidence-based prevention and treatment protocols. They put all their eggs in the vaccine basket, which is what Big Pharma wanted.
The most glaring example is the long delay at recognizing the I-Mask+ protocol developed by the FLCCC, led by Dr. Paul Marik. Only recently has that finally gotten the attention it deserves…..and physicians world-wide have been using it successfully for many months.
Here, the general approach to treatment for months could have been described as sending patients home to get sicker and then finally hospitalizing those who were on the verge of respiratory failure.
How anybody can argue otherwise is beyond me….
The primary goal of the US healthcare system is to maximize profit. After all healthcare in this country is first and foremost a business. And despite spending more on healthcare than any other country in the world we have a healthcare system that does not compare favorably with other industrialized nations. My wife and I are in our late sixties. My wife contracted a severe case of COVID-19 in March 2020 but thankfully not serious enough to require hospitalization. I was her sole caregiver for the week that she was bedridden during which time she ran a 103 plus degree fever. Now for the interesting part.
I also happen to have type II diabetes which I keep under control via a combination of diet and exercise. My doctor had prescribed a weekly megadose of vitamin D after seeing the blood work from my annual physical in late 2019. The blood work from my annual physical in late 2020 tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies. Looking back on it I did feel a little under the weather a week or so after my wife’s bout with COVID-19. I climbed into bed one afternoon because I was exhausted. I put it down to just being tired after taking care of my wife the previous week. In retrospect it was almost certainly COVID-19. I thank my lucky stars that my doctor picked up on my low vitamin D prior to the COVID-19 outbreak given my pre-existing condition. Just another anecdote as to the potential benefit of taking vitamin D to counteract this nast virus.
My wife and I both came down with COVID in January after one of our friend’s father had become ill and eventually passed due to contracting the virus. The friend brought it to us as she suffered with intense symptoms. We had been on a vitamin C and D binge for months and suffered minimally.
Sounds to me like you had a St Peregrine malignancy, which is why he’s the patron saint of cancer sufferers.
Spontaneous tumor regression is nothing new. Reports go back centuries. There may be an association between spontaneous regression and infections but like your own story it’s still anecdotal.
Years ago I saw a patient who suffered from cluster headaches. Cluster headaches are characterized by periodic daily “clusters” of headaches. They will often start at the same time of day (or night) and will recur daily for days or weeks. Then they disappear.
This patient told me that he was successfully treated in the past by a chiropractor after only two weeks of treatment. Duh.
I had cluster headaches for years. One day I noticed that I had what appeared to be Horner’s Syndrome. This is almost never good news, since the more common etiologies are lung cancer and carotid aneurysm.
My neurologist ordered MRI angiography of my carotid and brain. No pathology. A rare cause of Horner’s Syndrome is cluster headaches. Ever since that episode 15 years ago I have never had another cluster headache.
Those MRIs really work! I’ll bet the pharmaceutical companies are suppressing this info to preserve their headache medication revenues. 😉
Just because B follows A doesn’t mean A causes B.
Well maybe. Might be more to it. Like maybe people getting more sunlight are working outside or excising/ in better shape/ and naturally social distancing. / might be younger. Who knows
My feelings are a fairly healthy diet, some exercise and a good nights rest will go a long way to keep you healthy. After my mild case of covid i still say get the vax. I about dropped over my first day back at work. Balance issues cant get blood o2 back to previous levels.
If you think there’s no money in Vitamin D, you’re fooling yourself. It is at least a billion dollar industry, probably more if you include testing, and it has been pervasively advertised to the point of shilling.
Here’s a thought experiment. Obesity is associated with a high percentage of very negative outcomes with covid 19.
Turns out obese people have a high incidence of Vitamin D deficiency.
I guess if they had just taken more Vitamin D, they wouldn’t have gotten obese and therefore would have not gotten covid or would have had less severe covid.
exactly, vitamin and supplement industry size as well as the use of steroids as treatments disproves there is a bias in the united states away from cheap therapies
People don’t always absorb nutrients well, especially as they get older.
No EUA’s if safe, effective alternatives exist. So pretend they don’t exist. When someone says they do exist, deny, denigrate, delay.
Yea I agree your personal experience proves nothing. It’s also nothing more than a testimonials. We see stuff like this all time by those touting false cures
For your own mental health, please do not research the effects of Ivermectin on COVID 19!
(I AM teasing you in this case but generally really appreciate your insights!)
Now that the pandemic is just about over it is OK to talk about alternative treatments when they are too late to make a difference while during the pandemic it was pretty much taboo.. There must be a word for that phenomena.
‘ selective ignorance’ maybe ? with a wink…as usual…
…in the meantime The Greatest Freedom and Happiness Vaccination Campaign ever goes on ! A stab(or a jab) in the dark, for the final results and effectiveness still remain to be seen….One doesn t have to be a scientist to wonder how a inoculated person can still become a host to the virus without getting seriously ill, and pass it on to others, vaccinated or not vaccinated…Arent those ideal circumstances leading to the creation of an absolute MONSTER virus ?
Ummm…… this was well known almost a year ago. There are dozens of studies that all show vitamin D as crucial to not dying of Covid.
The fact that is coming to light now shows just how much of a scam this whole pandemic has been.
Scam by who ? Vitamin D isnt a covid cure for someone who is dead. Things go downhill pretty quick in the ICU for those with Covid.
I believe together we’ll get rid of this problem….
I teach at http://northlondongrammar.com/ and we always reiterate that STAY HOME STAY SAFE
Spam
Interesting that there is not a study of Vitamin D levels in the blood of those that have died of Covid. How simple would that be?
Not simple at all. Most people don’t get an autopsy unless their death is suspicious.
Then they would have to take some blood and send it off to the lab. That would cost more money and then they would have to wait for the results to close the autopsy.
There is also the matter of what they are testing (Vitamin D2 or D3?) and is the amount in the blood what matters. Just because there is x amount of Vit D in the blood doesn’t mean it was being properly absorbed. Perhaps they need some bone marrow to test?
Not only did the western medical establishment ignore the vitamin D reports, they actively suppressed the information along with early treatment of the virus with hydroxychloroquine and zinc. It’s all happening at levels way above the attending physicians position. You can’t imagine the nightmare of “trying” to be a doctor in today’s environment. Here’s just one small accounting, listen from31:10 to 32:05:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vYslqyXq6k
I work in ICU, and the media seldom mentions obesity and how serious risk factor it is. All my “younger” patients in their 40s or 50s who died from Covid were obese or borderline obese.
The obesity link was obvious from the very beginning and indeed hardly ever mentioned in the msm, probably not politically correct, or woke enough, for that matter…. Thanks for your (and your colleagues’) admirable dedication and hard work!
Pure insanity outside of the St. Louis City Justice Center. Inmates are breaking windows —@alexiszotos @KMOV “We’ve had people locked up for well over half of the year without a preliminary hearing,”
is closer where a fire is burning on the exterior roof. Lots of people out watching the chaos
I’s say they have a totally legitimate bitch:
6th amenedment
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.
More and more research is showing Vitamin D deficiency is probably a major risk factor for many forms of cancer as well. I think it stands to reason since its so important for our immune system to function in tip top condition.
30 Mar 2021 | 20:00 GMT
Optical Mouse Inventor Hunts for a Covid Cure—and May Have Found One
Silicon Valley entrepreneur Steve Kirsch urges the FDA to quickly approve Fluvoxamine to prevent severe illness from Covid
….
Med Hypotheses. 2020 Oct; 143: 109862.
Published online 2020 May 30. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109862
PMCID: PMC7261085
PMID: 32504923
N-Acetylcysteine: A potential therapeutic agent for SARS-CoV-2
Francis L. Poe? and Joshua Corn
Abstract
COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to spread across the globe. Predisposing factors such as age, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and lowered immune function increase the risk of disease severity. T cell exhaustion, high viral load, and high levels of TNF-?, IL1ß, IL6, IL10 have been associated with severe SARS-CoV-2. Cytokine and antigen overstimulation are potentially responsible for poor humoral response to the virus. Lower cellular redox status, which leads to pro-inflammatory states mediated by TNF-? is also potentially implicated. In vivo, in vitro, and human clinical trials have demonstrated N-acetylcysteine (NAC) as an effective method of improving redox status, especially when under oxidative stress. In human clinical trials, NAC has been used to replenish glutathione stores and increase the proliferative response of T cells. NAC has also been shown to inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway (IL1ß and IL18) in vitro, and decrease plasma TNF-? in human clinical trials. Mediation of the viral load could occur through NAC’s ability to increase cellular redox status via maximizing the rate limiting step of glutathione synthesis, and thereby potentially decreasing the effects of virally induced oxidative stress and cell death. We hypothesize that NAC could act as a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of COVID-19 through a variety of potential mechanisms, including increasing glutathione, improving T cell response, and modulating inflammation. In this article, we present evidence to support the use of NAC as a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of COVID-19.
….
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2020 Oct; 203: 105751.
Published online 2020 Aug 29. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2020.105751
PMCID: PMC7456194
PMID: 32871238
“Effect of calcifediol treatment and best available therapy versus best available therapy on intensive care unit admission and mortality among patients hospitalized for COVID-19: A pilot randomized clinical study”
…
I don’t buy the conspiracy.
governments have taken up other cheap, effective treatments like dexamethasone, once proven. And vitamins themselves are a multi-million pound industry. Hydroxychloroquine was studied too.
The problem with most of the studies is that they are horribly designed and as MISH notes no one wants them to be successful as they can’t make money in it. The biggest thing is they are usually based on people already being sick enough to be in the hospital. What if early intervention helped moderate (and I use that term intentionally) the disease?
I think vitamin D, zinc and HCQ do moderate if taken early. Invernectin has a wider window and works as well. Not a cure but all would lessen your odds of getting really sick and all have a great safety profile. I would want them all and the chance to work with my doctor to try.
Yes I will get vaccinated at first opportunity as well. Doesn’t mean I won’t want treatment options if I get exposed in the meantime.
Imagine if the moderation from a couple of cheap safe and early interventions lessened the damage by even 20%? The evidence is that it could be more like 50% or more. It would mean a lot of good people are still here. This bothers me a great deal.
Bull. Hydroxychloroquine was thoroughly studied
And there are studies casting some doubt on vitamin d as a therapy
Well you’re right Sechel, but there are also studies casting doubt on Ivermectin and HCL too, which seem to work, as do corticosteroids which reduce lung inflammation.
So who are we to believe? And who am I to discredit the research you do and the conclusions you come to for your own benefit?
So we do our own research and come to our conclusions. Hopefully whatever we come up with works.
And then there’s a thought that COVID may also be just a form of BeriBeri:
“This isn’t the first-time beriberi (vitamin B1 deficiency) has been confused for an infectious disease outbreak. A disease outbreak in 1897 was thought to be caused by an infectious agent (bacteria, virus, fungus) until it vanished when unpolished rice was substituted for vitamin B1-deficient polished rice. [Dept. of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Hospital, The Netherlands, 2012].”
Awesome Mish… so glad to hear you’re doing well. I remember your 2012 posts about the cancer.
When it comes to the medical establishment, I do my own thinking. In ’07 I came home from a medical appointment with a blood report from hell. Doc told me I was a walking stroke waiting to happen: high BP, high triglycerides, high cholesterol. He wanted to put me on statins.
Well, after arriving home I told my wife no more processed foods… AT ALL. Started eating fresh/frozen fish and chicken, and fresh and frozen vegetables… basically the Atkins diet. After three months, I had a check up and lo and behold my blood report was normal, and I had also lost 25 lbs. with no exercise involved besides walking.
The doctor was amazed and asked what I was doing, so I told him. He told me to keep it up but told me to stay on the statins, which I refused to do. I’ve continued this diet to this day and I’m doing fine. It’s not the healthcare industry to me, it’s the unhealthcare industry and it’s all about the money rather than health.
There are two industries I advise my friends to stay away from if possible: the law industry and the medical industry. It’s all about the $$ for those jerks.
When’s the last time any doctor or staff has recommended to anyone about changing the diets and staying away from processed foods, etc.? I know I haven’t heard anything from the medical personnel during my subsequent yearly checkups.
I take my vitamin B1, D2, zinc, calcium, magnesium, etc.
And don’t start with me on obesity:
Well said, Tommy. I couldn’t agree more. American “medicine” all too often seems more income-focused and less emphasis on helping people attain health. Too often health care “professionals” treat symptoms, not the root cause of disease. When WAS the last time a doctor pulled you aside and give you realistic dietary advice? Never mind “Physician, heal thyself.” “PATIENT take charge of your health.”
Doctors try, at least the good ones. Patients often don’t want to make lifestyle changes
This is a great YouTube video series:
The Skinny On Obesity by Dr. Robert Lustig
How did we get so fat, so fast? The debut episode of this 7-part series debunks the theory that obesity only affects the “gluttons and sloths” among us and is, in fact, a public health problem that impacts everyone.
Recommend watching this. Each episode is only about 10-12 minutes long.
Episodes 1 – 3 are IMHO the most important.
From Harvard.edu
Does vitamin D protect against COVID-19?
There is some evidence to suggest that vitamin D might help protect against becoming infected with, and developing serious symptoms of, COVID-19. We know, for example, that people with low vitamin D levels may be more susceptible to upper respiratory tract infections. One meta-analysis found that people who took vitamin D supplements, particularly those who had low vitamin D levels, were less likely to develop acute respiratory tract infections than those who didn’t.
Vitamin D may protect against COVID-19 in two ways. First, it may help boost our bodies’ natural defense against viruses and bacteria. Second, it may help prevent an exaggerated inflammatory response, which has been shown to contribute to severe illness in some people with COVID-19.
Our bodies make vitamin D when exposed to sunshine. Five to 10 minutes of sun exposure on some or most days of the week to the arms, legs, or back without sunscreen will enable you to make enough of the vitamin. Good food sources of vitamin D include fatty fish (such as tuna, mackerel, and salmon), foods fortified with vitamin D (such as dairy products, soy milk, and cereals), cheese, and egg yolks.
The recommended dietary dose of vitamin D is 600 IU each day for adults 70 and younger and 800 IU each day for adults over 70. A daily supplement containing 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D is likely safe for most people. For adults, the risk of harmful effects increases above 4,000 IU per day.
Key words. SOME EVIDENCE
Lots of evidence for vitamin D
Also other early treatments No cures but relatively easy and cheap and safe to limit the damage on this thing until we can get vaccinated.
Shameful this is not being promoted in this day and age. Lots of people harmed that did not need to be.
“Shameful this is not being promoted in this day and age”
What are you talking about, I can’t get online without someone shilling Vitamin D. Looks like you have some practice at that.
5 to 10 minutes of sun exposure on most days of the week will enable you to make enough of the vitamin’. This is disputed in this video. Worth the 1/2 hour. https://rumble.com/vfhysl-covid-19-mrna-bioweapon-ivermectin-and-the-importance-of-vitamin-d-dr.-ryan.html?mref=2oodx&mc=8wf7a
It’s just one study. Has it been independently confirmed by another study?
Now the big question. Which treatment provides a significant advantage? Getting vaccinated or eating a ton of sardines?
The research does show that a vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for more severe symptoms. Beyond that , I have my doubts. I’ll stick to the vaccine. Not that I don’t try to eat a balanced diet.
You?
This isn’t gold standard evidence – that would a need randomised control trial, where people are allocated a treatment or a dummy version, so scientists can be clear an outcome is caused by the treatment.
Here’s a trial done in Spain with activated Vitamin D(D2)
Vitamin D in Israel
Belgium
are we talking vitamin d defiiency causes worse symptoms? That is not really debated. The issue is whether Vitamin D can prevent infection